[1870S - 1890S]

Here's a few of the photos sharpened and colourised.

[1870S - 1890S]

Some of these are originals and some are postcard style (plus the modern comparisons from Google).

I don't know many of the backstories, eg. the man seemingly flayed with vultures in the background (what is the wooden post?), or the prisoners/slaves.

The railway ones are mainly the Bangkok-Korat railway, with Knud Rahbek and Rama V.  He and his son were Danish surveyors for the railway, one of the first reailways (or the first) in Thailand.  The grave is the son's, who was an assistant surveyor, and died of yellow fever and is now buried 100m from Muak Lek train station.  'Died 1897' puts a clear date on it.

[Khon Kaen Vithes Suksa Bilingual School. Up to date info?]

Some up to date info for KKVS - 

My questions, and their answers:
 

1. What is the minimum/starting age for students?
2. Is there some kind of ranking that shows how the school results
compare to international, Thai and Isaan schools?
3. What is the rough proportion of mixed nationality and non-Thai students?
4. Is the culture partly similar to AU-NZ?
5. What is the rough fees per semester or year.
 

The minimum age for students here at school is 2.5 years. That is the Pre-K class. 
In terms of ranking the best measure is where the students go upon graduation. Our students go to universities both here and abroad and have no trouble getting into courses. Our students have become doctors , engineers, pharmacists etc. The school has a rigid policy of only appointing trained and qualified teachers. Our definition of a qualified teacher in terms of the foreign staff is that they are able to teach in their country of origin - currently that means NZ, UK or the US.
Mixed nationality students make up about 30% of the school. Most of the rest are Thais.
The school is run very similarly to schools in NZ or Australia with the styles of teaching and also the expectations.
The fees are around the 100,000 baht per semester [ 2 semesters 1 year]

[Online 90 day reporting not working now?]

So is it the first time you try online report?

My usual checklist:

Just a reminder for entering data on first page:

• time frame observed: two weeks to one week before due date? (as explained on the help site)
• ALL CAPITAL LETTERS (is done automatically)
• only fill fields marked with * (even leave given and middle name empty)
• observe date order: day / month / year (not US format) and/or use calendar widget
• nationality from drop down (results in English followed by Thai script), for US: AMERICAN/อเมริกัน, UK: BRITISH/บริติช

One of the worst behaviors of this site: all kinds of errors result in this same generic error message without any hint/reason explained.

Very poor.

Genius.

After a year of failed submissions with an unclear error message I got it fixed.

I deleted the flight number and it started working...

I just deleted any non-required fields.

[Kudos, OZ embassy]

I did it online and it took a month. I had uploaded the many documents that they requested in their forms, but they asked for more by email, and it took more weeks for responses and acceptance.

It is finally done. Now we have to pick up the certificate in Bangkok and hopefully get the passport done on the same day.

[Applying for Australian passport for baby born in Thailand]

Secretariat seems right.

I'm half way through the process. After doing the application online and a month of emailing and providing many more documents, certifications and modifications, they have said that citizenship was granted. Now we have to go to Bangkok and collect the certificate between 10:30am and 12:00pm (?!), then hopefully do some more document translations and get the passport done on the same day.

I had done the birth certificate translation myself for the citizenship, but the passport application says it needs an authorized translator's stamp.

[Strange discovery with recovered files software.]

Since it's a recovery software, it sounds like they were cached and temporarily saved on your hard drive then deleted. The recovery software wonders if you want to undelete them. It's not wasting your hard drive space. It's just like any other file you deleted.

[Is it OK for gay parents to prefer their kids grow up to be gay?]

I am having a child. I would not want them to become gay because of Thai cultural influence e.g. TV, comedy and katoeys, but if it happens naturally, then so be it.

[For those who sell to overseas buyers - observations and 3 questions]

Shipping will eat you alive.

ONLY solution is huge quantities and ocean freight.

I tried to sell a 20 dollar book on eBay and the buyer paid that and I paid $68usd to send it to him, Thai Post is cheap but not that cheap.

I agree. Buying in bulk and keeping it in the country you will sell to is far more cost effective.

Using a fulfilment warehouse to store and send your products may work e.g. ShipWire. That is, if your prices can cover the cost.

[Pichit: Akara gold mining company ordered to suspend operations for 30 days]

"Mr Surapong, however, clarified that the suspension order did not mean that the company had committed any wrongdoing but its gold extraction operations might pose a threat to humans and animals............."

...the suspension order did not mean that the company had committed any wrongdoing

"....might pose a threat to humans and animals"

"....the results of their blood tests which show that over 200 of them have high level of heavy metals in their bodies."

Therefore the company hasn't committed any wrongdoing? Huh!

It seems like they are guilty until proven innocent around here.

Yes, local villagers have abnormal heavy metal blood levels, though that is not proof that it's from the mine. It could easily be from another local business, farmers using pesticides, somebody dumping waste, or simply extortion...

I'm waiting for more evidence.

[Router compromised?]

Hi Guys,

With reference to posts 4 & 5 (Min Max & danbradster) this was my initial thought as well, that the router was compromised. When the initial problem started the ISP was indeed TOT but using a Cisco router and not the one provided by TOT. Checked router setup and DNS (OK) reset password and rebooted.

Laptop running Windows 7 Pro, cleared caches, flushed DNS, cleared favourites (IE) and deleted bookmarks (Chrome), deleted all wireless network connections, hard boot. Still had problems with redirection.

Since then til now (2 weeks) i have used a total of 18 (yes, i counted) different connections through 3 different ISP's (TOT, 3BB & True) and in more than half of these, i have used the cleaning/flushing/scanning methods, not used favourites or bookmarks, and still have the redirection problem. Chrome (default browser) was uninstalled/reinstalled as an added measure.

Conclusion is that i have some nasty little bug residing somewhere on the laptop. Anyone with any suggestions would be greatly appreciated with their comments.

BTW George, i believe it was only coincidental that i was on the new tech site when all this happened..................

My computer has the problem, my tablet does, and my wife's brand new smartphone does too.

It must be either the ISP or the router. It can't be the devices.

[Is running really good for you?]

Fish oil will help your blood pressure.

Your peak fitness potential is lower than when you were younger, but you can definitely stilll benefit. Compare an older person who spends their days watching TV versus one who exercises every day and tell me which one is fitter.

Running is beneficial, but swimming may be more beneficial for you - especially if you enjoy it more.

Re CajunCruiser's theory of numbered heart beats, I must disagree. The guy who never runs is more likely to die due to Cholesterol related side effects (heart attack, stroke). In this case, the running can save him from that potential demise.

[Router compromised?]

Max is right. The hack is in your router, not your device.

I got it too. Lots of people got infected recently, they seem to be TOT customers.

[Meat exposed in open tubs]

If you are into eating your meat raw, then that is very sound advice OP.

Otherwise, if you know how to properly cook your food, it is just scaremongery.............................

If what you say is true, then why you never see this kind of sales in Western supermarkets. We all know that the major supermarkets in Thailand are wholly owned by Western supermarket groups.

It could be due to Western government hygeine regulations, but it could also be due to customer preferences. If Westerners trust packaged product more, then the supermarkets will provide that, as it would reuslt in more sales and more profit.

[You can't do this. 45 baht tip on 8000 baht bill]

I tip the tongtow 2 baht. Costs 8 baht, I give 10. 25% tip!!

Though I do it to avoid the 2x 1 baht coins change.

At restaurants, I usually leave the small coins (like most locals). Unless they try to trick me by coming back with coins instead of notes...then they can stuff off.

[most beautiful places you have been?]

Hiking in the mountains of New Zealand. The guide's price tag of around 4000 baht is not cheap, but there was not a salesman nor insect in sight. It was very beautiful, around 20km in total that day. New Zealand is where they filmed Lord of The Rings.

That was with Contiki. The only downside was that I was allergic to the pine trees while riding a quad bike on a different day.

This is what my view looked like:

[Thais supporting the parents?]

I believe the difference in thinking is that westerners believe adults should plan for their own future, e.g. saving and investing for retirement, not spending most or all of what you receive then relying on your children.

[Police to examine assets seized from former CIB chief]

Go to Time magazine and read their article which explains it reasonably well. Ill not link to it.

"The Military Vows to Rule Thailand Until 2016 and Ramps Up Political Purges"

[Am I ADHD? Or maybe deficient in certain vitamins?]

My sister had ADD as a student. She and I trialed a diet cutting out as much preservatives as possible. It actually helped both of us.

In Thailand you'd have to cut the MSG too. Add in some exercise and you may just improve (an unexercised body is a fidgety body).

[What New Skills Have You Acquired In Thailand?]

Here I play lots of football, weight lift and riding my bicycle. In Australia I'd do much less. Here I live a different lifestyle.

Oh, and I've been asked to speak in universities. In Australia that would be unlikely.

I'm missing out on lots of business meetings / networking while being over here though. Australia has far more of that.

[Poll: Most Thais support NCPO]

If an armed army man turns up at your door asking if you support NCPO, what will you say?

Just speculating wildly what could influence poll results....

[Issue With PayPal]

Shitty attitude, its not the sellers fault. I Agree you may find it inconvenient but that's a risk you take buyng by mail order.

I think you are being totally unreasonable.Take photo's of the item in its damaged state and email them to him and ask him what he wants to do, either replace it or refund it. If you dont have photos as far as any seller is concerned you may be trying to scam him.

Show the proof and work with the seller to achieve an amicable result.

I'd say it was the seller's fault for not packing it better, and I'm a seller myself...

I have been defrauded by a few customers paying by Paypal when I didn't send by signed delivery. Paypal provides no protection for sellers if they don't deliver this way. We refund unhappy customers, as we are not in business to screw people. The goal is to minimize unhappy customers, and in turn, minimize refunds.

[Elastic bands.......a curse.]

Study their technique for wrappping the rubber band, then reverse engineer the process to unwrap it with ease.

[Thai Breast Enlargement Cream]

No cream increases breast size.

Ladyboys spend a lot of money on implants

It may be that she believed some sales pitch by a ladyboy on Facebook/magazine.

I see endless misleading advertising for creams on Thai facebook pages. People believe that the bad lighting versus good lighting photo is the result of the cream?

[how much do you consider as value for food?]

Normally 1 restaurant for 100-150 baht per person and 3 regular meals at 50-100 baht each. So that's maybe 400 baht per day, 12,000 per month. Possibly less.

I'm trying to put on weight, so eat quite a lot, and consider value when purchasing - e.g. ignore cheese, get milk in bulk from FarmMart, buy whole chickens and large loaves of bread from Tesco Lotus, and specials from Tesco Lotus when they have something interesting.